Twelve Olympians [Maveric Universe]

The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon (Greek: Δωδεκάθεον < δώδεκα, dōdeka, "twelve" + θεοί, theoi, "gods"), in Greek mythology, were the principal gods of the Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. The first ancient reference of religious ceremonies for them is found in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes. The classical scheme of the Twelve Olympians (the Canonical Twelve of art and poetry) comprises the following gods: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hestia. The respective Roman scheme comprises the following gods: Jupiter, Juno, Neptune, Ceres, Mars, Mercury, Vulcan, Venus, Minerva, Apollo, Diana and Vesta.[1]

There was, however, a great deal of fluidity when it came to who was counted among their number in antiquity.[2] Around 400 BC Herodorus included in his Dodekatheon the following deities: Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Athena, Hermes, Apollo, Alpheus, Cronus, Rhea and the Charites.[3] Wilamowitz agrees with Herodorus' version of the Twelve.[4]

Herodotus includes Heracles as one of the Twelve.[5] Lucian also includes Heracles and Asclepius as members of the Twelve, without explaining which two had to give way for them. At Kos, Heracles and Dionysus are added to the Twelve, and Ares and Hephaestus are left behind.[6] However, Pindar, Apollodorus,[7] and Herodorus disagree with this. For them Heracles is not one of the Twelve Gods, but the one who established their cult.[3]

Plato connected the Twelve Olympians with the twelve months, and proposed that the final month be devoted to rites in honor of Pluto and the spirits of the dead, implying that he considered Hades to be one of the Twelve.[8] Hades is phased out in later groupings due to his chthonic associations.[9] In Phaedrus Plato aligns the Twelve with the Zodiac and would exclude Hestia from their rank.[10]

Hestia is sometimes displaced by Dionysus.[9] Hebe, Helios and Persephone are other important gods, goddesses, which are sometimes included in a group of twelve. Eros is often depicted alongside the other twelve, especially his mother Aphrodite, but is rarely considered one of the Olympians.

The Twelve Olympians gained their supremacy in the world of gods after Zeus led his siblings to victory in war with the Titans. Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, and Hades were siblings. Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, the Charites, Heracles, Dionysus, Hebe, and Persephone were children of Zeus. Although some versions of the myths state that Hephaestus was born of Hera alone, and that Aphrodite was born of Ouranos.
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* A ^ According to an alternate version of her birth, Aphrodite was born of Ouranos — after Cronus threw his castrated genitals into the sea. This supports the etymology of her name, "foam-born". As such, Aphrodite would belong to a generation above, or equal to, Zeus and his siblings. See Aphrodite#Birth

Other definitions

These are not included in the classical list of the Twelve Olympians, but they are sometimes included in other lists of the Twelve Olympians, as noted above.

Family tree of the Greek gods
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Chaos
the Void

Tartarus
Hell

Gaia
the Earth

Eros[1]
Desire

Erebus
Darkness

Nyx
the Night

Moros
(Doom)

Oneiroi
(Dreams)

Nemesis
(Retribution)

Momus
(Blame)

Philotes
(Affection)

Geras
(Aging)

Typhon
the Wind

Ouranos
the Sky

Ourea
Mountains

Pontus
the Sea

Aether
Heaven

Hemera
the Day

Thanatos
(Death)

Hypnos
(Sleep)

Eris
(Strife)

Apate
(Deceit)

Oizys
(Distress)

Moirae &
Keres

Erinyes

Gigantes

Meliae

Aphrodite[2]

Hecatonchires

Titans

Cyclopes

Echidna

Oceanus

Tethys

Hyperion

Theia

Coeus

Phoebe

Kronos

Rhea

Themis

Mnemosyne

Crius

Iapetus

Oceanids

Clymene

Helios

Eos

Asteria

Demeter

Hestia

Hera

Prometheus

Epimetheus

Inachus

Melia

Heliades

Selene

Leto

Hades

Poseidon

Zeus

Muses

Atlas

Apollo

Artemis

Persephone

Athena
Hebe Hephaestus Ares

Hyades

Hesperides

Pleiades

Epaphus

Enyo
Dione

Dryope

Maia

Alcmene

Semele
Hermes

Aphrodite
{{{ HCL }}}

Dionysus

{{{ PAN }}}

Tyche

Rhodes

Peitho

Eunomia

Hermaphroditus

Eros[1]

Harmonia

Deimos
Heracles

Anteros
Himeros
Phobos

Hephaestus was married to Aphrodite. The essential Olympians' names are given in bold font.
[edit] See Also

* Greek mythology history
[edit] Notes1. ^ a b Conflicting origins. Eros is usually mentioned as the son of Aphrodite and Ares, but Hesiod's Theogony places him as one of the primordial beings, born from the Void (Chaos).
2. ^ a b There are two major conflicting stories for Aphrodite's origins: Hesiod (Theogony) claims that she was "born" from the foam of the sea after Cronos castrated Uranus, thus making her Uranus' daughter; but Homer (Iliad, book V) has Aphrodite as daughter of Zeus and Dione. According to Plato (Symposium 180e), the two were entirely separate entities: Aphrodite Ourania and Aphrodite Pandemos.

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